Celtic fans want VAR to be scrapped after John McGinn claimed Scotland is ‘better without it’

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The consensus among Celtic supporters has shifted significantly following John McGinn’s recent comments on VAR.

The Aston Villa midfielder sparked an interesting debate by suggesting the Scottish game would be ‘better without’ VAR.

Those comments from McGinn came after Celtic’s defeat to Hibernian in February, when Auston Trusty was sent off, in an incident that divided opinion.

For many Celtic fans, as proven by 67 Hail Hail’s TalkingPoints poll and comments, McGinn is simply highlighting what they have felt for a long time.

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Celtic fans want VAR scrapped in Scotland

Nearly 1,500 of you voted on our TalkingPoints poll, and 77.37% want VAR scrapped, after those calls from McGinn.

That’s a pretty high number, and it shouldn’t be a surprise because many are frustrated by what they witness on a weekly basis.

Nonetheless, these are some of the comments from our TalkingPoints users:

• Joemo71: ‘It’s ruined the game.’
• Mconway1888: ‘It’s not served its purpose and has highlighted a lot of inconsistent refereeing and VAR calls.’
• McKeendianne: ‘No, I don’t think it should be scrapped..referees don’t always get it right.’
• Alex.Harknesscbg: ‘IMO VAR is one of the reasons RFC 2012 hardly win anything now. I’m 63 years old and remember some terrible decisions made in the original RFC’s favour in the form of ‘honest mistakes’. At least with VAR, everything is there to see in glorious technicolour for all to see.’
• Scorc3529: ‘I like VAR, always have. When it’s used properly. However, in this country, we do not. There’s no point in having what we have just now. The one thing VAR was always good for was offside, which is FACTUAL. However, the lack of cameras and stupid lines going to the wrong place means we don’t even get that right. It’s absolutely pitiful and should be got rid of.’
• Jo797522: ‘No, it’s the biased officials doing it the have no honour.’
• Patrick.Sinat: ‘Yep, VAR should stay, the officials need to go.’
• Johnprior999: ‘Any Celtic fan who thinks the removal of VAR will aid the team needs to do some research over the years to perhaps better appreciate just how slanted decisions have been since 1888…’

How much does it cost to use VAR in Scotland?

The annual running cost for VAR in the Scottish Premiership is approximately £1.2 million (SPFL). Unlike a flat fee, clubs pay on a sliding scale linked to their final league position.

As the dominant force, Celtic carries the heaviest financial burden, paying 16.29% of the total bill. This equates to roughly £195,000 per season (Football Scotland).

With fans and players like McGinn now questioning the system’s value, the fact that Celtic pays nearly £200,000 for a service widely deemed inconsistent has become a major talking point. Many supporters now believe this significant investment would be better spent elsewhere.